“Time isn’t in endless supply and I want to spend mine in ways that are more personally meaningful,” Adrian Wojnarowski wrote in his shocking announcement revealing that he was retiring from ESPN to become the general manager of the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team earlier this year.
At the time, the line largely went overlooked, understandably overshadowed by the stunning news that the NBA’s top insider was getting out of the game. Three months later, it’s hidden meaning has been made public, with Wojnarowski revealing to Sports Illustrated‘s Chris Mannix that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer this past March.
Fortunately, the prognosis appears positive, with Woj referring to the cancer as “pretty limited in scope.” For now, he’s monitoring the cancer via quarterly checkups and improving his diet, exercise and sleep routines, although it’s possible he may need to eventually undergo surgery.
“When you hear cancer, you think about it going through your body like Pac-Man,” Wojnorwski told Mannix, who he worked with at Yahoo Sports. “Prostate cancer, it generally stays confined to your prostate and is typically slow growing.”
While cancer didn’t physically force Wojnarowski out of his role at ESPN, it did play a factor in his decision to leave the Worldwide Leader. Specifically, he recalled attending Chris Mortensen’s funeral in Arkansas after the longtime NFL insider died of throat cancer earlier this year and noticing of how many fellow colleagues didn’t also make the trip.
“It made me remember that the job isn’t everything,” he said. “In the end it’s just going to be your family and close friends. And it’s also, like, nobody gives a s—. Nobody remembers [breaking stories] in the end. It’s just vapor.”
The surprising nature of Wojnarowski’s career shift left many looking for answers, with the most common explanation being some version of him being burnt out from the NBA insider grind. And while that certainly was a factor — and is explored in detail in Mannix’s profile — it’s now clear there was more to the story.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.